Water mop



May 28, 1940. T. F. MOORE 2,202,223

WATER MOP Filed Oct. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet i ial y 23, 1940- T; F. MOORE 2,202,223

WATER MOP Filed Oct. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 isj.

an oOOl ooooo 0000000, ooooooo I h a 4 I 1 Patented May 28, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to water mops for use in draining surface water in and around areas such as dam sites, building foundations and other places where the collection of water interferes with construction work and the like. It is especially useful in conjunction with wellpoint systems. At times, impervious material in the soil will trap and prevent water from reaching the wellpoints of the wellpoint system with the result that the water cannot be completely drained off or removed from the soil. Where it is found that pools of Water remain within the area which is being served by the wellpoint system, it indicates that a layer of clay or other impervious material therebelow is preventing the water from reaching the well points. When this occurs, it has ben customary to employ one or more water mops composed of a screened chamber attached to a suction hose and including a shut-off valve to regulate the flow. The screened chamber is placed into the pool of water which is to be removed, so that it is either wholly or at least partially submerged therein, and the other end of the hose is attached to the nearest inlet on the header line of the wellpoint system so that the suction apparatus of the wellpoint system is availed of to suck the water from the pool and discharge the same through the wellpoint system along with the water which is drawn into the system through the regular wellpoints. Such an arrangement is very handy and renders the use of extra pumping equipment unnecessary.

On jobs where the soil is heavily mixed with clay having water-bearing seams, or where rock is close to or at sub-grade, on all mop system can often be used without necessitating the use of regular wellpoints, and the flow of water can be taken care of in this manner at a great many points. In both types of systems referred to above, considerable difficulty has been experienced in the past due to air getting into the system and interfering with the pumping action of the pump. Manual valving of the water mop connections has been resorted to, and while this improved the operation to some degree, it is at best very inconvenient because of the close attention and time required to regulate the valves. Both time and labor are important factors in jobs of this kind, as they are usually let on contract with a time limit.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved water mop construction which will automatically exclude and prevent air from gaining'access to the suction line of the system.

A furtherobject of the invention is to provide a water mop having valve means automatically operated responsive to the liquid level at the 5 point of use whereby to freely admit water into the mop under normal conditions, but which will automatically exclude air when the water level falls to a predetermined point.

A still further object of the invention is to 10 provide a water mop of the type hereinbefore mentioned which is simple and rugged in construction, and which is so constructed as to conveniently admit of disassembly in a very simple manner'for purposes of cleaning and/or repair. 15

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter described, and the novel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view, taken axially through my improved water mop, certain of the parts being shown in elevation;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view of the mop in side elevation at right angles to the position in 25 which the mop is shown in Figure 1, the intake screen being partly broken away to more clearly disclose the construction of the body of the mop;

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken approximately on the line 3-3 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional View, taken approximately on the line 4-4 of Figure 1; and

Figure 5 is a top plan view of the lower head of the mop as detached from the body of the mop.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings, wherein'l designates a hollow tubular body having elongated perforations 2 provided therein. A cover 3 is mounted on the upper end of 40 the body I and suitably secured thereto, as by welding, the cover being preferably provided with a bail-like handle 4. Encircling the tubular body I is a foraminous filter screen 5 which is preferably tack-welded or otherwise suitably 45. fastened to the body so that itlies over the perforations 2. The lower ends of the body I and screen 5 are notched, as at 6, so as to receive a semi-cylindrical or trough-shaped'intake pipe 1 which extends transversely across the chamber 50 within the body I at the lower end thereof. Disposed across the top of the intake pipe 1 and rigidly secured thereto, as by welding, is a flat plate 8 having a plurality of perforations 9 provided therein so as to establish communication 55 between the intake pipe 'I and the chamber lIl above the same Within the body I. A bottom plate I I constituting a cover for the lower end of the tubular body I is suitably attached to the pipe I as by welding, and may or may not also be attached to the perforated plate 8 by means of spacing studs I2, I2 disposed at opposite sides of the intake pipe 'I and spanning the space between the plates 8 and ID near the outer margin of the former, as best shown in Figure 4. The perforated plate 8 is slightly smaller in diameter so as to be received within the lower end of the chamber I0, whereas the bottom plate II extends laterally beyond the plate 8 so as to abut against the lower extremity of the tubular body I. Apertures I3 are provided near the margins of the bottom plate II to receive therethrough studs I4, which are suitably secured to the lower end of the tubular body I. The lower extremity of the studs I l are threaded to receive nuts I5 and lock washers I6 which serve to detachably secure the bottom plate II to the tubular body.

The inner end of the intake pipe I is closed by the wall I'l, whereas the outer end is connected with an upwardly extending pipe I8, which is preferably inclined slightly away from the body I near its upper end, as at I8. A union it is provided at the upper extremity of the portion I8 of the pipe I8, and serves to connect the same with a flexible hose 20, which in turn is adapted to be connected to a header pipe of a wellpoint system, or otherwise, to a suitable suction apparatus or pump.

Mounted within the chamber II! in the tubular body I is a float 2|, which is slightly smaller in diameter than the tubular body so as to be freely movable axially therein. The lower end of the float 2I has mounted thereon a flexible valve 22 formed of suitable material, such as sheet rubber, leather, or the like. The valve 22 includes radially extended arms or fingers 23 which are folded upwardly and inwardly so as to dispose their free extremities in overlapping relation with each other, and through these overlapped portions extends a bolt 24 having a nut 25 on the lower end thereof to fasten the arms or flngers to the float. With such an arrangement, as best shown in Figure 1, the body of the valve 22 is freely suspended below the float 2I so as to be movable towards and away from the same through the yielding action of the arms or fingers 23. Interposed between the arms 23 of the flexible valve 22 is a resilient pressure member comprising a spring plate 26 having downwardly curved, radially extending arms or fingers 21 arranged about the same so as to bear upon the corresponding arms or fingers 23 of the valve. The construction and operation of the float 2I and flexible valve 22 is substantially the same as that disclosed in my copending application Serial No. 183,551, flled January 5, 1938, and now Patent No. 2,164,253 and which has to do with a wellpoint construction. In other words, the purpose of the float valve is to automatically control the intake of the water mop responsive to the liquid level at the mop so as to prevent air from being drawn upwardly through the mop and into the suction system. To this end, the body of the valve 22 is of such size as to be capable of covering the entire group of perforations 9 in the plate 8 when the valve is seated thereon. As the float 2I rises in the chamber I0 as a result of a rise in the liquid level in this chamber, the valve 22 is gradually peeled off the plate 8 so as to progressively uncover the perforations 9 from the outer margin of the group towards the center, thereby affording a ready response to the buoyant action of the liquid on the float 2| which will operate the valve with a minimum of effort. The upper end of the float 2I is tapered, as at 2I, so as to prevent sand and other foreign materials from collecting on the top of the same. If sand or such material should be allowed to collect on the float, the additional weight thereof would interfere with the actuation of the float valve.

Operation Having described the specific construction of the mop, its operation may be briefly summarized as follows:

Wherever water may exist on the surface of the ground or in places which are accessible from the surface, it can be drained off through the use of a mop as herein shown and described. The flexible hose 2G is suitably connected to a pump or other suction device, and the body of the mop placed in the water so as to be wholly or partially submerged. The mop can conveniently be carried from place to place and handled as desired by availing of the use of the handle member 4 disposed at the upper end thereof. When the mop has been submerged in the water, the float 2I will rise to the top of the chamber II and assume a position as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. In this position of the float, the flexible valve 22 is raised off the perforated plate 8, thus opening the perforations 9 and establishing communication between the chamber ill and the intake pipe 2. Accordingly, the water will be drawn by the suction apparatus through the screen 5 and through the perforations 2 in the tubular body I and thence downwardly towards the bottom of the chamber it where it passes through the perforations 9 into the intake pipe 7 and thence upwardly through the pipe I8, which is connected with the hose 20 and which may be availed of to convey the water to the desired point. As the water level is drawn down, the float 2i will descend from its dotted line position shown in Figure 1 to its full line position, thereby bringing the flexible valve 22 into contact with the perforated plate 8 and closing off the perforations so as to automatically interrupt communication between the chamber ID and the intake pipe I, preventing the entrance of air into the intake pipe. A subsequent rise in the level of the water in which the mop is submerged will raise the float 2i, and the flexible valve 22 will yield and uncover the perforations 9 in part or altogether as the level of the water may govern, thereby reestablishing communication between the chamber II) and the intake pipe 1 so that the water can be drawn off through the mop by the suction apparatus.

It will thus be seen that the mop functions in a manner generally similar to the function of the wellpoint disclosed in my copending application hereinbefore referred to. The primary difference between the mop and the wellpoint is that the wellpoint can be jetted into the soil, Whereas the mop is intended for use where water may collect on the surface of the ground.

Access to the interior of the mop for purposes of cleaning and/or repair maybe conveniently had by simply removing the nuts I5 from the studs, thus permitting the bottom plate II, perforated plate 8 and intake pipe I to be removed from the body of the mop, these parts, together with the extension pipe I8 and union I9, forming a composite bottom head unit by reason of the fact that they are all preferably rigidly connected together, as by welding.

It is to be understood that the terms water and air as used herein are intended to be taken in their broad sense, since the mop will work with most any liquid and will effectively prevent the entrance of most any aeriform fluid into the suction system,

While the specific details have been herein shown and described, the invention is not confined thereto, as changes and alterations may be made Without departing from the spirit thereof as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a tubular body closed at one end to form a chamber and having openings therein establishing communication between the chamber and the exterior thereof, a suction pipe operatively connected with and having a portion thereof disposed across the end of the chamber within the tubular body opposite to the closed end aforesaid, and means operable responsive to the liquid level within the chamber for controlling communication between the suction pipe and the chamber within the body.

2. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a tubular body closed at one end to form a chamber and having openings therein establishing communication between the chamber and the exterior thereof, a suction pipe operatively connected with and having a portion thereof disposed at the side of the body and another portion disposed across and open to the end of the chamber within the tubular body opposite to the closed end aforesaid, and means operable responsive to the liquid level within the chamber for controlling communication between the suction pipe and the chamber within the body, said last-named means comprising a float valve adapted to interrupt communication between the chamber and the suction pipe when the liquid in the chamber falls to a predetermined level. g

3. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a hollow body closed at one end to form a chamber and having perforations therein to establish communication between the chamber and the exterior of the body for the ingress of a liquid, a foraminous screen extending about the hollow body over the perforations aforesaid, a suction pipe operatively connected with and extending transversely across the end of the hollow body opposite to the closed end aforesaid,

said suction pipe being adapted to be connected to suction apparatus and being open at its side next to the chamber for withdrawing the liquid from the chamber, a perforated plate interposed between the suction pipe and the chamber in the hollow body, and float valve means cooperathollow body opposite to the closed end aforesaid, said suction pipe being adapted to be connected to suction apparatus for withdrawing the liquid flexible valve member mounted on the lower end thereof for movement towards and away from the perforated plate.

5. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a generally cylindrical body closed at its upper end to form an interior chamber and having perforations in the wall thereof for establishing communication between the chamber and the exterior thereof for the ingress of a liquid, a tubular foraminous screen encircling the exterior of the body so as to be disposed over the perforations aforesaid, the lower end of the screen and cylindrical body having a recess formed therein, an intake pipe of semi-cylindrical form disposed in said recess and extending transversely across the lower end of the chamber in the cylindrical body With its concave side facing upwardly, said intake pipe being closed at its inner end and having its outer extremity connected with a suction pipe extending upwardly along the cylindrical body closely adjacent to the wall thereof, a perforated plate horizontally disposed within the lower end of the chamber over the upper side of the intake pipe, a cover plate mounted on the lower extremity of the cylindrical body below the intake pipe, and valve means cooperative with the perforated plate aforesaid and operable responsive to the liquid level in the chamber for controlling communication between the intake pipe and the chamber.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the perforated plate, intake pipe, lower cover plate, and suction pipe are rigidly connected together as a unit, and are detachably connected to the lower end of the cylindrical body.

7. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a tubular body closed at its upper end and having screened inlets in the wall thereof for the ingress of a liquid into the chamber formed within the body, an intake pipe extending transversely across the lower end ,of the chamber and having a flat perforated wall disposed at the upper side thereof, said intake pipe being closed at its inner extremity and being adapted to be connected to suitable suction apparatus at its outer extremity, a cover plate mounted on the lower end of said tubular body, and float valve means disposed in the chamber Within the tubular body above the intake pipe and cooperative with the perforated wall of the latter and operable responsive to the liquid level in the chamber for controlling communication between the chamber and the intake pipe,

. 8. In liquid draining apparatus of the class described, a tubular body closed at its upper end and having screened inlets in the wall thereof for the ingress of a liquid into the chamber formed within the body, an intake pipe extending transversely across the lower end of the chamber and having a flat perforated wall disposed at the upper side thereof, said intake pipe being closed at its inner extremity and being adapted to be connected to suitable suction apparatus at its outer extremity, a cover plate mounted on the lower end of said tubular body, and float valve means disposed in the chamber within the tubular body above the intake pipe and cooperative with the perforated wall. of the latter and operable responsive to the liquid level in the" chamber for controlling communication between the chamber and the intake pipe, said float valve means including a flexible valve body movable axially within the chamber towards and away from the perforated wall of the intake pipe. 5

THOMAS F. MOORE. 

